Season 3: The Not So Dearly Beloved
by kellocfan1
Summary: Trey's dead. How does the group cope? Set immediantly after Season 2 finale.
1. The Dead

**A/N: I posted this on the OC forum, so I figured that I might as well post it here as well. Please don't forget to leave a review. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

Marissa stared down at her hands, her tiny fingers wrapped around the deadly weapon. She sunk down to the floor, still grasping the gun.

Trey stared at Marissa in disbelief, and for a split second, before he fell to the ground, they made eye contact. In his last few seconds, he came to a startling realization. He was going to die. He collapsed.

Ryan was in immense pain. He had heard the gun shot and knew exactly what had happened. His brother was dead. He staggered over to Marissa, who was crouched down on the floor, silently weeping.

Seth and Summer rushed into the room. What happened? This question was immediantly answered once they took a quick glance around the room. Trey was on the floor- a puddle of blood gradually surrounding him. Marissa was also on the floor, her hands still clinging on to the murder weapon. Ryan was now leaning against the wall, evidently lacking the strength to stand. His nose was bleeding and marks were already visible on his neck from when Trey had been choking him.

"I'm going to go call my dad.." Seth said, desperately yearning to get out of the room. The feeling of being in the same room as a dead body- or, what he assumed was a dead body- was greatly disturbing.

"Are you okay?" Summer crouched down on the floor next to Marissa. "Sorry," she said. "Bad question." She wrapped her slender arms around Marissa's trembling body. "But you will be."

"You did the right thing." Ryan said reassuringly, attempting to give her a sense of comfort- if that was possible at this point. "I'm sorry you had to be brought into all of this.."

Marissa looked down at the gun, still lying so fragilly in her hands. She could just imagine the new reputation she would aquire. 'Marissa Cooper- the murderer' She tried to take her own life, and now she's taken someone else's. She finally took her eyes off the gun, and looked up at Ryan. He was staring back at her, the bloody mess that he was. Anything was better than losing him, even if it did mean murder.

"My dad," Seth said, appearing in the doorway. "Your dad," he continued, pointing to Marissa, whose eyes were still locked with Ryan's. "Your mom, the police, the ambulance.. All on their way."

Summer was the only one who seemed to acknowledge Seth's presence. She nodded, not knowing what else was appropriate.

"I think I'm going to wait in the car." Seth said while looking at the wall. He needed something solid to focus his eyes on. He did not want to see Trey or the blood that was still continuing to appear on the floor. "Being in the same room with a dead body? That kinda gives me the creeps."

"Cohen!" Summer exclaimed, startling Ryan and Marissa, who were still in somewhat of a daze. "What is the matter with you?" Summer demanded, emphasizing each word.

"I'm sorry." Seth ran his fingers through his mass of curls. "I've never been in this type of situation before, I don't know how to act.."

Summer sighed. "Please just don't say dead body. It makes this seem too real."

"It is real." Marissa finally spoke, her voice trembling. "I killed him.." she continued, convincing herself more than anyone else. "Using this gun." she held up the weapon while tears continued to run down her face. "I am a murderer."

At that very moment, a police officer ran into the room, followed by several others. "Was that a confession?"

Marissa pursed her lips together, unable to say another word. She had said enough.

Within the next few minutes, the gun was taken away from her and a pair of handcuffs had been placed securely around her wrists. Despite objections from Ryan, Summer, and Seth, she was read her rights and hauled away in a police car.


	2. The Case

**A/N: I'm still getting used to this site, and I'm not quite sure how to check to see if I've gotten any reviews yet.. So, if anyone could help me out, that'd be great:) I combined two chapters into one for this, so it'll probably be a bit longer than upcoming ones. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

"Thanks for doing this, Sandy." Jimmy stopped pacing the room the moment he acknowledged Sandy's presence. "I know that you have problems of your own, and probably have a lot on your mind right now.." 

"Nonsense," Sandy replied, silencing the nervous wreck that was Jimmy Cooper. "Marissa saved Ryan's life, I couldn't be anymore grateful." he took a sip of his coffee and sat down in the nearest chair. He was trying his best to concentrate, but his mind was evidently elsewhere. Kirsten was sitting in rehab, oblivious to the night's events. Maybe that was for the best. The last thing she needed was yet another catastrophe to concern herself with. The last one had taken quite a toll on her drinking.

Jimmy watched for a moment as Sandy stared off into space and decided that it would probably be best to leave him alone. So, he walked off to the other side of the room where Julie was sitting. "How ya holdin' up?" he sat down next to her and placed his hand cautiously on her thigh, unsure whether or not it was appropriate.

"Not so good." she replied, ferociously flipping through an old magazine.

"Hey, take it easy." he said in a calm, gentle voice. "We'll make it through this."

"Will we?" she put down the magazine and turned toward him, her eyes wide. "I'm not so sure anymore. The only family trip we may be taking is to the local juvenile delinquent center."

"That's crazy. It was self-defense. There's no way she'll get charged.."

"But will the judge see it from the same perspective?"

This last comment silenced them both. Jimmy couldn't think of any other arguments, so he simply stopped talking.

From another section of the room sat Ryan. He was crouched down on the floor, just as Marissa had been no more than a couple of hours ago. There were plenty of open seats available, but he chose the floor. His mind was racing. He was finding it difficult to process the night's events. He was still trying to comprehend the newly discovered information that Trey had attacked Marissa, let alone the fact that someone whom he had known for his entire life was dead- and his girlfriend could be charged with the murder. It was all too much for him to take. It was just one traumatizing event after another.

"Ryan?" he recognized that voice all too well.

"I-uh, don't really feel like talking- not right now." It wasn't even necessary for him to look up. He knew that the person hovering over him was Seth. Summer was probably just inches away.

"We just thought you might want some company.." Seth replied persistently. "We don't have to talk." With that, he plopped down on the floor right next to Ryan. "Now, I know you like to brood privately.." he continued, motioning for Summer to sit down next to him. "but we just couldn't stand to see you sitting here all by yourself."

"Thanks." Ryan forced a smile thus recognizing the kind gesture. Maybe he wouldn't have to go through this alone. It was a comforting feeling- knowing that he wasn't all by himself.

* * *

Kirsten took a long look around the cramped room and couldn't believe that it would be her home for the next couple of months. Occasionally, she would hear gossip about women she knew being sent to rehab. Never did she consider the possibility that she could potentially be the next topic. She was still trying to accept the fact that she had a problem and needed help. It was difficult for her to rely on other people. She wanted so badly to believe that she could quit drinking on her own, but she had attempted that already and the outcome could've been tragic. 

"Kirsten?"

Startled, she whipped her head around- perhaps a bit too fast- to see the doctor- the very same one who had earlier staged the intervention- poke his head in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. If you'd like, you're welcome to come downstairs and meet some of the other patients."

She took yet another look around the room and sighed. She couldn't call home for three days, so there was certainly nothing better to do..

"Okay." she agreed and followed him out the doorway.

* * *

Marissa had been sitting in the same room for two hours now. Despite all of the prior events, it was still unbearably boring. To pass the time, she simply fidgeted with her fingers or tapped her foot against the hard, concrete floor. Needless to say, it was not very entertaining. About an hour ago, she was interviewed by a policeman. He was short, heavy, and nearly bald. He spoke with a raspy, monotonous tone of voice that, under any other circumstances, would've entertained her to some extent. But no, not tonight. How could she be entertained when every person who walked through the door treated her like a criminal? It was very depressing. She was using every last bit of self-discipline she had not to consider the possibility that she could actually be a criminal. She didn't have any other choice but to shoot him. She would rather spend the rest of her life in jail then have something happen to Ryan. 

Very suddenly, the door creaked open, interrupting her train of thought. Her eyes lit up with hope.

Sandy walked through the door looking very distressed.

She couldn't help but be dissapointed. She was hoping for Ryan, even though it was a pretty senseless ambition considering the fact that no visitors were allowed. Her dissapointment didn't last too long, though. Once she snapped back to her senses, she realized that she was willing to see anyone- just so long as they didn't wear a badge. Of coarse Sandy wouldn't treat her like a criminal.

He set his briefcase down on the table and sat directly across from her. He then simply sat back and closed his eyes, welcoming the silence. This was very abnormal. He certainly was not the silent type.

"Uh.. Mr. Cohen?" Marissa finally said, unable to withstand the silence.

He sat up and looked her directly in the eyes. "Now Marissa," he began. "I know I'm your defense attorney, but please.. call me Sandy."


	3. The Funeral

Ryan sat down next to his mother on the firm, uncomfortible bench. She had borrowed one of Kirsten's dresses due to the fact that her wardrobe was limited to torn-up jeans and baggy t-shirts.

"Thanks for being here today, Ry." she leaned over and whispered in his ear. "It means a lot to me, and I'm sure it would mean the world to your brother."

Ryan slowly nodded his head. It was not easy for him to show up at all. He practically had to force himself into a tux.

"You're a good brother.. I'm proud of you." she put an arm around his shoulder, securing him by her side. She wanted to feel as if she weren't a complete failure as a mother. "Shouldn't they be starting soon?" she took a tissue from her purse to dry her moistening eyes. She didn't want to be in tears before the service even started.

"They can't start yet. We're the only two people here." Ryan lowered his voice down to a whisper.

"The one time out of the entire year that I actually look presentable.. and no one's here to see it." she forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm just surprised.. Nobody else wanted to come and pay their last respects?"

As though they were on cue, the Cohen family entered the small church- all dressed in black and wearing very sorrowful expressions. Sandy and Kirsten chose a pew near the middle while Seth and Summer selected one in the very back.

Ryan smiled, he was very thankful. Trey had been nothing but a burden to the Cohen family. It meant a lot that they attended his funeral despite that. It didn't matter if they were the last people to walk through that door- Ryan was satisfied.

No more than ten seconds later, Marissa pushed her way through the large, wooden door, hoping that she wasn't late.

Ryan's mouth hung wide open. He was utterly shocked- but pleased as well. He smiled and motioned for her to sit down next to him. At that moment he was 100 positive that Theresa was right. Marissa did love him.

"What's she doing here?" Dawn asked, slightly emphasizing the "she".

Ryan sighed as he glanced at his mom in frustrastion. He should've known that he couldn't be happy for any longer than a couple of seconds.

"First, she shoots him. And now she has the nerve to show up at his funeral?" Dawn slowly began to stand up. "I've got to put a stop to this.. she has to leave-

"If she leaves, then so do I." Ryan interrupted.

His eyes were warning enough for her. Defeated, she sat back down and tried her best to regain her composure.

"Hi." Marissa approached, appearing to be very timid. "I hope it's okay that I showed up.."

"I'm glad you came."

Feeling more relaxed, Marissa sat down and loosened the tight grasp she had on her handbag. After today, she was hoping that it would all be over. Maybe, just maybe, they would be allowed the possibility of a normal summer. (Seth, of coarse, would not be held accountable to this).

Thanks to Sandy's expertise, Marissa was realeased without a trial and it seemed as though all of the chaos was finally coming to an end. This, of coarse, did not last for long, as it never does in Orange County. After spending exactly seventy-two hours at rehab, Kirsten immediantly called home.

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"You'll never guess who I saw."

"Who?" Sandy usually enjoyed playing along and guessing every single person he could come up with, but his mind was drawing a blank at the moment. Who else could Kirsten possibly know in rehab?

"Dawn Atwood." When Kirsten heard nothing but silence from the other end, she decided to go on. "You know, Ryan's mom?"

"Yeah, I know who she is. I'm just surprised. The timing could not have been better."

"Why's that?" Kirsten was unaware of the many events that had occurred within the past few days.

"I needed to get in contact with her. She has the right to know that her son is dead."

"WHAT!" she shrieked upon hearing this and nearly dropped the phone.

"No, no.. I'm talking about Trey- not Ryan.."

Their conversation went on for hours. Dawn eventually found out about Trey and insisted on a memorial service...

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Marissa sat silently and waited for the service to begin. She tightly clinged on to Ryan's hand. This, she decided, would be her last moment of neediness- atleast for the time being. She was ready and eager to put the past behind her. There was no way that she was going to hold a grudge against a dead person. She was anticipating a new beginning- a fresh start. She was looking forward to her first family dinner in years, and, of coarse, her first real date with Ryan.


	4. The Lost

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**A/N: Thanks for the feedback. It's appreciated.**

**Summer-Breeze-171: Thanks for the help:)**

**Dogsbody: Dawn probably wouldn't be able to afford Suriak. I didn't really consider that at that time I was writing this. Thanks for pointing it out to me!**

**And now for the next chapter..**

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It's over. The funeral was a week ago. So why were visions of Trey still haunting her? Why did she constantly have to remind herself that she killed him? Her mother was certainly over it, so why couldn't she be?

"Marissa!"

"Speaking of the devil.." she mumbled to herself, but was quick to regret it. She was actually beginning to get along with her mother, and was happy that they were a family again- somewhat of a disfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. "Yes mom?"

"Breakfast is ready." her mother's voice echoed throughout the mansion. "I made my specialty.."

"Eggs benedict." They said in unison. Marissa sighed, her mother was overly predictable. "Coming."

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Sandy knocked on the door twice before reluctantly allowing himself in. Afterall, it was technically his poolhouse. "Ryan? Are you up?"

Upon hearing Sandy enter, Ryan left the bathroom wearing nothing but boxers and a wifebeater. His hair was wet and shaggy, and parts of his body were still dripping wet. It was obvious that he had just gotten out of the shower. He took a brief look at Sandy, who was already dressed in one of his many tuxedoes. He must've skipped his morning routine, which always consisted of surfing.

"Come on inside. Breakfast is ready." Sandy offered.

"You cooked?" Ryan asked, bewildered. Now that Kirsten was off at rehab, could they expect more homecooked meals?

"No, of coarse not.. I put the bagels in the toaster."

Ryan smiled, relieved. He was completely satisfied with bagels and takeout. "Okay, I just need to get dressed. It'll only take me a minute."

"Okay, I'll see you inside."

Ryan dug through his drawers, searching for a clean pair of jeans. His clothing was never elaborate, which was perfectly fitting to his personality. He sighed. It had been quite a few days since Rosa had done the laundry, and the dirty clothes were piling up. Life in the Cohen house sure was different without Kirsten around..

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Marissa slowly drove through the school parking lot, searching for a parking spot that wasn't ten miles away from the school. Every few seconds she'd anxiously look around, half suspecting to see Trey lurking around in the distance. It wasn't until she heard the loud, obnoxious sound of a car horn from behind her that she realized she wasn't moving. She turned around to see a long line of other drivers staring back at her in annoyance. She sighed and turned into the nearest parking spot, preparing herself for the walk.

"Last day of school.." she reminded herself. After a few deep breaths, she stepped out of her car. She was solemnly expecting it to be worse than it was the day she returned from Tijuana.

"You're gonna be fine." Summer said, noticing the apprehensive look on Marissa's face. "Remember, you didn't kill anybody."

Marissa whipped her head around. She hadn't even noticed Summer walking behind her. She slowed her pace so that her friend could catch up. "I picked up a gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit someone. They died. I think that would classify as killing someone."

"Your sarcasm is back. You must be feeling atleast a little better.."

Marissa shrugged, unsure of how she was feeling. "I just can't believe he's dead. I keep expecting him to lunge out at me from behind a corner.. or grab me from behind.. or-"

"No, it's okay. I understand how you feel, but rest assured you will never see him again."

Marissa forced a smile. She was grateful to have a good friend like Summer. They walked in silence for a few minutes before finally reaching the building.

Summer held out her arm. "Ready?"

Marissa took it and the two girls bravely walked into the school, ready for whatever the day had in store for them.

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Neither Seth, Sandy, nor Ryan realized how much Kirsten was taken for granted. Life in the Cohen house was chaos without her.

When Sandy woke up that morning, he was welcomed by a sink full of dirty dishes and a foul smell in his kitchen. He sighed and looked at his watch. It was time to get Seth up for school. Of coarse, Seth couldn't use an alarm clock like a normal 17-year-old. Because, according to Seth, it wasn't "personal enough". Apparantly, the sound of an alarm clock was not the first thing he wanted to hear when he woke up in the morning.

So, he popped a few bagels in their oversized toaster and jogged up the staircase to wake Seth.

Five Minutes Later

Seth and Ryan entered the kitchen at the exact same time. They were welcomed by a sink full of dirty dishes.. and the smell of burning bagels. Seth ran to the toaster, but it was too late. The bagels were ruined.

"Cereal?" Seth offered. Sure, his mother was a terrible cook.. but never in her life did she burn bagels.. They were her specialty.

Ryan nodded. It was their only alternative.. besides granola bars.

"Ready to go?" Sandy appeared in the doorway. "School starts in less than ten minutes."

No time for cereal.. "Granola bar?" Seth offered.

Ryan sighed and took the month-old bar from Seth's extended hand.

All three of them knew that they were lost without Kirsten. This was going to be a long couple of months..

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	5. The Return

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**A/N: I've noticed that the number of reviews per chapter was increasing. That's always a good thing! Thanks so much for taking the time to read. Here's the next chapter. Hopefully, it was longer than the last few.**

**Dogsbody: I'm sorry that you found it depressing. Just know that my goal is not to depress.**

**MrPresident: Thanks for the advice! The ending of this one has more of a cliffhanger.. atleast I hope it does.**

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"Just remember that it's the last day of school, you can make it!" Summer said to her friend, hoping to give her the slightest bit of encouragement.

"Thanks.." Marissa replied, not feeling all that encouraged. The fact that mostly everyone was staring at her didn't help.

Summer smiled before walking off in the opposite direction toward her locker.

"I can do this.." Marissa mumbled to herself. If she could go back to school after nearly killing herself with a bottle of pain killers- she could do this. If Ryan could go to school after burning a house down- she could do this. If Luke could go back to school after everyone found out about his gay dad- she could do this. And if Seth could go to school every day and be Seth Cohen- she could do this.

Feeling a little bit better, she walked down the hallway with confidence.. This confidence was shattered the moment Jess approached.

"I liked you a whole lot better when I thought you were on drugs." she said bitterly.

Marissa looked Jess square in the eye. She could've probably come up with a good comeback if she had tried.. but it was the last day of school, and she couldn't afford to get into a fight. So, instead, she simply shifted her books and walked past Jess.

"You know, you're no longer Marissa Cooper.. Now, you're Marissa Cooper- the murderer."

Marissa continued to walk, using every bit of self-discipline she had not to turn back.

"She didn't want Ryan to find out about her and Trey.." Jess turned to some random girl and began talking.

Marissa had to bite her bottem lip to keep from screaming, but continued walking nonetheless.

"They were hooking up?"

As much as this infuriated her, Marissa continued to walk.

"Yeah.. that's why she killed him.."

Eventually, the voices faded out and she found herself all alone in an empty classroom. What was she thinking? She couldn't go to class.. not now.. not after she was accused of being a murderer! She slid down to the floor, dropping her books in the process.

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Sandy pulled up to the building fifteen minutes late.

"It's the last day of school," he reasoned. "No one's gonna care.."

Ryan and Seth stepped out of the car and barely had time to close the doors before Sandy sped away. He was late for work.

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Marissa cautiously poked her head out of the door. The hallway was empty. Perfect. This was her chance..

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Ryan and Seth walked up the steps leading to the entrance. Just as Ryan was reaching for the handle..

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Marissa pushed the door open, smacking someone square on the face. "I am so sorry!" she said. "Ryan?"

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Marissa slowly reached out to touch Ryan's forehead, which was throbbing in pain. "That's gonna leave a mark.." she guiltily admitted. "I'm so sorry, Ryan.. like I haven't done enough already.."

"What do you mean by that? It was an accident." Ryan forced a smile- his teeth clenched together- and tried to cover up his pained expression. "I'm okay, really."

"Are you sure?"

He quickly nodded. Feeling she had no other choice but to believe him, she skeptically nodded and slowly pulled her hand away from his face.

"So, what are you doing?" he wanted to know. "Why are you leaving the building?"

"Um.. I forgot one of my books in my car and-" she stopped. Why was she lying to him? Of coarse he would understand.. wouldn't he?

Ryan frowned. He could tell by the guilty expression on her face that she was lying. He had a pretty good guess as to why she really was leaving.. "Skipping school?"

"Well," she started, fully intending to tell the truth this time. "When I got here, I-" Again, she found herself unable to go on- this time, for a completely different reason. She slowly turned her head to see Seth staring back at her intently.

Ryan noticed this, too. "Uh, Seth?"

"Oh, I see how it is.." Seth folded his arms and glared at Ryan. "You know every last detail of my life, but I-"

"Yes, because I just beg you to wake me up at five-thirty every morning so I can listen to you go on and on about Summer." Ryan rarely used so much sarcasm, but he felt it was necessary in this situation. How else was he suppose to get his point across? He needed something that Seth could understand.. sarcasm definately fit into that category.

Seth gasped and pointed an accusatory finger toward Ryan. "I thought you enjoyed our heart-to-hearts!"

Despite the terrible mood she was in, Marissa couldn't help but laugh at Seth.

Feeling defeated, Seth spun around and entered the school. As much as he was dreading the lecture he was sure to receive from his first-period teacher regarding his excessive amount of tardys, anything was better than this.

Ryan and Marissa stood in silence following Seth's dramatic exit.

Still intending to skip school and avoid confrontation with Jess- or anyone else, really- Marissa dug her car keys out of her purse.

"Are you sure you want to skip? I mean, it is the last day.."

"Exactly. That's why no one's going to care."

Ryan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I guess that makes sense.."

"Do you want to come? I mean, the earliest I can be home is three, and it might be kinda boring by myself.."

How could he resist?

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Twenty minutes later, the two found themselves walking along the beach eating balboa bars.

Marissa glanced over at Ryan and smiled. It was so much better than being at school.. where people were free to point and whisper. It was also better than being at home.. It was getting better, but she would choose Ryan over her mom any day.

The Following Day:

Seth sat in front of the television with a spoon hanging out of his mouth. He was holding the playstation controller and pressing buttons rapidly. It was the first day of Summer vacation, and he was going to spend it- well, how he spent most other days.. He was interrupted by the doorbell. Expecting someone else to answer it, he continued playing. After two more rings, he remembered that Ryan was out in the poolhouse, his dad was at work, and his mom was at rehab. He pressed the pause button on the controller and dropped it carelessly on the floor. He then withdrew the spoon, which had previously been covered with tapioca pudding, from his mouth and set it down on the coffee table.

"Coming!" he jogged to the door and swung it open. His mouth hung open for quite a few seconds once he saw who was standing just a few feet in front of him. "Anna?"

She immediantly embraced him. "Seth, how are you?" Everything about her was exactly the same, except for her hair. She was now sporting a chin-length bob a few shades darker than her normal hair color.

"Anna." he patted her on the back, making their hug even more friendly than it already was. "What are you doing here? I mean, I thought you were in Pittsburg." He was in utter shock. He honestly didn't expect to see her ever again.

"I came home for the summer." she explained, finally pulling away from him. "Look, I'm not here to cause problems.." she recognized his paranoid expression as fear of losing Summer. Again. "I assume that you and Summer are still together?"

He slowly nodded- his mouth hangin half open.

She took a long look at him. He was wearing his blue, striped robe and a pair of flannel pajama pants, his hair clearly had not been brushed, and there was tapioca pudding on the edges of his mouth. "Okay.. I'm gonna go. So, call me if you want to hang out, okay?"

He nodded and accepted the small piece of paper she was holding out- her phone number.

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Marissa sat in the large waiting room flipping through last months issue of Vogue. Her mother forced her to visit the doctor every month- always suspicious that something was wrong and Marissa was back to her old ways.

The automatic glass doors opened and Theresa entered, pushing the carriage containing her six-week-old child. The baby was born premature, so she visited the doctor often. Since Newport seemingly had a better hospital than Chino, she found herself driving an hour atleast once every week.

Marissa glanced down at her watch for the hundredth time, having very little patience left. She had been waiting for a half an hour now. What was taking so long?

Theresa sat down in the nearest chair and mentally prepared herself for the forty-five minute wait. While it was true that the Newport hospital was very advanced, it was also very slow.

Something triggered the tiny baby to start crying.. and it did. Theresa smiled apologetically to the many people who turned their heads in her direction. The waiting room which was once peaceful was now filled with the sounds of a wailing baby. As Theresa scanned the annoyed expressions of the unfamiliar faces, she spotted someone who was very familiar.. This was not good.

Marissa stared in shock. That was Theresa.. and she was holding a baby..

"Marissa Cooper." The nurse said, reading her name off of the clipboard she was holding.

Marissa slowly stood up, her eyes still locked with Theresa's- searching for any information that might be given away by the panicked expression on her face. It took her a moment to put two and two together.. That could be Ryan's baby... and just when she thought that they might have a chance at a normal summer.. or as normal as it ever gets in Orange County.

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	6. The Baby

**A/N: I am _so_ sorry for the wait. I guess I just had a lack of inspiration. Just know that I'm done being lazy and you can expect updates more frequently. Again, I'm sorry! Hope you enjoy this next chapter and it was worth the wait!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**MrPresident: Thanks so much for the in-depth review! I really appreciate the advice! **

**slimkay: Thanks for taking the time to read, I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

**kursk: Thanks for the review! Read to find out about the baby..**

**Dogsbody: I wish I would've thought about that at the time I was writing this. ;)**

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Seth sat on his couch, weged in between Summer and Anna- a situation that would've been very common one year ago, but not now. Summer had been skeptical at first. She wasn't sure if she wanted Seth, her boyfriend, hanging out with Anna.. So, she agreed on one, simple condition: she came along. She was now beginning to regret her paranoia.. now she was stuck watching cartoons with two of the biggest nerds she had ever met in her life.

"Can we do something else?" she asked, anxiously. "This is boring!"

"What, you don't like Batman?" Anna shifted uncomfortibly. Why they all had to squeeze together on one couch when there was plenty of other furnature in the room was beyond her.

"And what do you suggest we do?" Seth turned off the televison using the remote control he had been clinging onto for the past hour, and turned toward Summer, giving her his full attention.

"I don't care." she replied, frustrated. "Just anything but this.. It's a nice day, why don't we go outside? It's no wonder why you have such pasty, white skin."

"Thanks, Summer. I'll remember that next time you invite me to go tanning with you." he retorted.

"I've never invited you to go tanning with me."

"Exactly. Now you know why I'm so pale.."

Anna played with a loose strand of hair as she listened to the two bicker. It was just like old times.. she had forgotten how much it used to annoy her. "Why don't we just go get something to eat?" she said loudly, ensuring her voice would be heard.

Seth and Summer, who had evidently forgot about Anna's precense, stopped arguing and turned toward her.

"Crab Shack?" Anna suggested, having already made the deciscion that they were leaving the house to get something to eat.

"Sure." Summer agreed while slowly getting up.

Seth nodded and followed the two girls out of the house.

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Marissa lied on her oversized bed, staring up at the ceiling. She thought back to one of the most painful days of her entire life- the day Ryan left for Chino. She was devastated. She remembered watching him leave while waiting for Caleb's limo to come pick her up. A lot has changed in a year. Who knew that in one year she would be arrested for shooting Ryan's brother? Who knew that in one year her mother would end up a widow? Who would have suspected the idolized Kirsten Cohen being sent to rehab for an addiction to alcohol? Who knew that Theresa would be the mother of a healthy baby.. one that Ryan wasn't aware of?

She sighed, knowing that she had a deciscion to make- one that could change her entire life. Should she tell Ryan about the baby?

"No." she said quickly. "I can't let Ryan go back to Chino! I can't go through that again!" Slowly, she looked around her bedroom- just to be sure it was empty. Was she really talking to herself? Maybe she should go back to therapy..

"Marissa!" Her mother's voice echoed through the hallway. "Is someone in there with you?"

"No, mom." she replied, getting up to close the door. "I'm just.. watching TV."

"Oh, okay."

Just as she was about to collapse back onto her bed, she stopped herself. She needed to talk to someone. Her and Theresa were friends at one point in time.. sort of. Of coarse she could talk to her. She really had no right to tell Ryan anything without an explanation from Theresa.. Her mind was now made up. She was going to Chino. With that, she grabbed her sweater and headed for the door.

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Marissa hopped out of her shiny, red convertible and locked the doors. Afterall, she was in Chino. The front door was opened before she even reached it and Theresa appeared, holding a crying baby.

"Hey Marissa," she said while rocking the baby back and forth. "I was hoping that I would see you.."

Marissa slowly nodded, she was at a loss of words. Theresa appeared to be about ten years older than she actually was. She was wearing old, ratty jeans with small holes appearing by the knees. An oversized t-shirt covered the small pouch she still had yet to work off from child birth. Her hair was slicked back into a tight bun. There were small wrinkles just underneath her eyelids. She looked tired.. And a baby was not the common accessory for an eighteen-year-old girl.

"Please," Theresa said, stepping aside. "Come in.. We have a lot to talk about."

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"I can't believe this!" Julie said, snatching the paper away from Caleb's lawyer. "He didn't leave me anything!" Her eyes widened as she scanned the paper- searching for her name.

"No, Mrs. Nichol." the man answered, exasperated. "Like I told you, everything is to be split equally amongst his three daughters."

"Three?" Julie took her eyes off the paper, finally making eye contact. "Caleb only had two daughters."

"Kirsten Cohen," he replied, beginning to name them off. "Hailey Nichol, and Lindsey Wheeler."

Julie slammed the piece of paper back down onto the desk. She had forgotten about Lindsey.. She was about to become a millionaire when she's only known the guy for a matter of months.. and Julie was left with nothing. She threw her hands up in the air in frustration and stormed out of the office- creating as much drama as she possibly could. What the lawyer conveniently left out- looking out for his own interests.. not wanting to be the recipient of any slaps- was that Caleb changed his will the day before he died.

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Theresa sat down on the couch- the baby resting peacefully on her lap, atleast for the time being. Marissa sat opposite her on a wooden chair that, only in Chino, would be considered actual furnature.

"So, I heard about what happened with Trey.." Theresa said, breaking the awkward silence. "I'm really sorry."

Marissa shifted uncomfortibly. "Uh, it's okay.. That's actually not what I came here to talk about.." she anxiously tugged on her skirt, wondering what it was she actually did come to talk about.

"Of coarse.. Well, what do you want to know?" she didn't even need to ask the subject.

"Um.. what's it's name?"

This took Theresa by surprise. She was expecting something more along the lines of: 'Is it Ryan's?' or 'Are you gonna tell him?' These were the questions she was preparing herself for. "Brooke."

"Brooke." Marissa repeated. "That's a cute name." It wasn't necessary for her to ask if it was Ryan's baby. She could tell by her big, blue eyes. Ryan had a six-week-old child- one that he didn't even know existed.

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The way Julie Cooper stormed into the house told Jimmy that things did not go well with Caleb's lawyer.

"That stubborn, old man didn't leave me a penny!"

Jimmy folded his newspaper neatly and set it down on the end table. "Nice to see you, too, Jules."

"I don't even get to keep the house!" she ranted on, ignoring his sarcastic greeting. "It goes to the Newport Group. Can you believe that? What are they suppose to do with a house!" She was fuming by the time she plopped herself down on the couch right next to the armchair Jimmy was sitting in. "I put up with him for a year, and what do I get in return!"

"You got to live like royalty in this beautiful house for a year." he replied reasonably. "And now it's time for you to face reality."

She blew a piece of loose hair away from her face and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well," he began, crossing his fingers and resting his chin on them peacefully. "When I came back to Newport, we agreed to start over.. As a family."

"I know that, honey, but how are we going to start over without a place to live?" she said rationally, finally beginning to calm down.

"I made some money while living in Maui, and I think we'd have just enough to buy a house." he watched as her face changed and she jumped up off the couch, ready to attack him with kisses. "Nothing fancy," he quickly added. "It would probably end up being about the size of my other one."

She stopped dead in her tracks.

"I'm going to go on a walk," he said after a moment of silence. "Think about it." with that, he got up and left the room. If he would've looked back, he would've seen Julie walk over to the liquor cabinet. She would need a few drinks in her system before ever agreeing to live in a house that small.

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"I'm actually not quite sure why I came here.." Marissa announced after a painfully long silence.

"Let me guess," Theresa said while shifting the baby to the other side of her lap. "You came here to ask what the eyes already gave away."

She bit her bottem lip to stop the quivering. The truth hurt. "You guessed it." she managed to say, despite the tightening in her lungs and the tears she was holding back. Ryan was the father..

"I wanted you to know that I don't plan on telling him." Theresa said, offering any information that could cheer Marissa up. "He's so happy in Newport.. telling him would only destroy that. He deserves to be happy.. You both do."

"What about you?" Marissa was suddenly overcome with guilt. She had only been thinking about herself.. It looked like Theresa needed him more than she did.. But would she have the strength to let him go? Again?

"I'm happy." Theresa replied, lacking reassurance. In return, she received a skeptical expression from a silent Marissa. "Please," she said, nearly begging. "Don't tell him."

"I guess.. If you're sure that's what you want?" Marissa said ever so softly, feeling very uneasy about keeping something this important from Ryan.

"Thank you." Theresa replied, forcing a smile. What she wanted, more than anything, was for Ryan to be happy, and not be burdened by this baby.


End file.
